King Dedede (Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U)

This article is about King Dedede's appearance in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. For other uses, see King Dedede.

King Dedede
Universe	Kirby
Also appears in	Brawl
Availability	Starter
Final Smash	Dedede Burst
Tier	N/A (N/A)
Character Statistics
Number of Jumps	5
Can Wall Jump	No
Can Wall Cling	No
Can Crawl	No
Has a Tether	No
Voice Actor
Voiced by	Masahiro Sakurai

King Dedede, also known as just Dedede (デデデ, Dedede), is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. King Dedede is a recurring antagonist in the Kirby series, self-proclaimed king of Dreamland. He is an anthropomorphic, blue penguin-like being whose main weapon is a massive, mechanized wooden mallet.

Attributes

Strengths

• Third heaviest in the game, after Bowser and Donkey Kong.
• Powerful smash attacks that cover great range.
  • In fact, he has the strongest Side Smash in the game (excluding Lucario with Max Aura Power).
• All attacks save for Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Neutral Air, and Dash Attack have disjointed hitboxes.
• Decent standard ground and aerial attacks which have good damage and range.
• Powerful combo throw potential.
• Many attacks that inflict high shield damage.
• One of the highest vertical recoveries in the game.
• Can perform sacrificial KO's with Inhale.
• Gordo Toss can be launched at different speeds and angles, forcing opponents to be on their guard. If it hits a ledge corner it can be stuck for a few seconds, making it useful for edge guarding.
• Jet Hammer can land KOs at early percentages, especially when fully charged.
• Two powerful Meteor Smashes: Down Aerial and Up Special (Super Dedede Jump).

Weaknesses

• Large frame, having big hurtboxes.
• Not many attacks with super armor frames.
• Slowest aerial speed in the game; although he can jump four times in a row, the slow speed makes his horizontal recovery very poor.
• Considerable lag on his most powerful attacks.
• High landing lag in most aerials.
• High falling speed combined with his size makes him an easy combo target.
• Slow Smash Attacks. Additionally Forward and Up Smashes cause very low knockback if they hit on the sourspots (the handle).
• Predictable recovery. Also, Dedede becomes helpless if the player cancels Super Dedede Jump, leaving him extremely vulnerable.
• Super Dedede Jump, while providing massive vertical recovery, will not allow Dedede to cling onto ledges even if he is within range of one.
• Gordo Toss has low priority, and can be easily reflected back at Dedede by pretty much any attack.

Summary

King Dedede is a powerhouse, alongside Bowser, Donkey Kong and Ganondorf. He is one of the heaviest characters in the game, with powerful attacks that have considerable range. Due using a weapon, his disjointed hitboxes gives him advantage over many opponents.

One of his best poke attacks, without doubt, is his Forward Tilt. Being the tilt with the highest range in the game, Dedede can put pressure and interrupt attacks easily, since it is one of his fastest attacks. His Forward Smash, when well aimed, can kill midweight and even heavyweight opponents with less than 60% by the corner of the platform. With Down Smash now causing vertical knockback and the addition of Down Aerial being able to Meteor Smash, Dedede can KO opponents to any possible direction.

As for his Special Attacks, Inhale can still be used for Sacrificial KO, better than in Brawl due Dedede's increased falling speed. Gordo Throw is exceptionally useful for spacing, though it is a double-edged attack, as opponents can reflect it back to Dedede even with normal attacks. It is, however, very useful for edge guarding, bouncing forward and striking enemies below, in a similar fashion to the Villager's Forward Smash. Super Dedede Jump can bury ground enemies and also inflicts massive shield damage, with Dedede being pretty much invincible during the descend. Jet Hammer, while powerful, it is very situational due the high startup and ending lag, as well the low range.

Dedede's problem, however, lies with his low aerial speed, being the lowest in the game. This, combined with his massive size, can make him an easy target for opponents who can juggle (Sheik, Marth, Captain Falcon). His Neutral Aerial, however, is a powerful Sex Kick that can be useful as a spacing tool against jugglers. Additionally, with the removal of his chain grab with Down Throw causing a different knockback, Dedede players must relies on other follow ups.

On the other hand, Dedede's recovery is formidable, with his Up Special, Super Dedede Jump, reaching very high heights. Despite being predictable, Dedede has very powerful super armor frames during most of the attack, and any airborne opponent caught during his descend will be launched downwards, with a powerful Meteor Smash.

Dedede gameplay is mainly focused on the ground, with aerials being used to juggle opponents and rack up damage. Players must time well his attacks, as his most powerful attacks have high lag.

Differences from Brawl

Dedede received few nerfs to his air game, as well removal of his infamous chain grab. He has, however, gained a few buffs to some of his already powerful moves, as well different animations for some attacks. His proportions and appearance reflect his visual in the anime Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, with a smaller head and bulkier body. His pupils are notably smaller, giving him a less "innocent" look as seen in the Kirby games.

Attributes

• Slightly heavier than in Brawl.
• Higher falling speed.
• Higher base jump, but lower multiple jumps.
• Much lower aerial movement and speed.
• Faster dash speed.
• The head of his hammer is slightly larger, resulting in bigger hitboxes in all hammer attacks.

Ground Attacks

• The third hit of his Neutral Attack can transition between rapid jabs and a finisher. Additionally, his initial jab is slightly faster.
• Forward Tilt is now a multi-hit attack with stronger knockback in the last hit. It locks opponents easily.
• Up Tilt has a different animation and deals less damage and much less knockback, but has slightly more range.
• Down Tilt has a different animation, where he rolls forward, with higher ending lag. It deals less knockback, and sends opponents more vertically rather than horizontally.
• Forward Smash deals slightly higher knockback and inflicts much higher shield damage.
• Up Smash deals slightly lower knockback, but is a bit faster.
• Down Smash deals horizontal knockback rather than vertical.
• Dash Attack deals higher knockback.

Aerial Attacks

• Slightly increased lag in all aerials.
• Neutral Aerial has a larger and longer hitbox, and causes more knockback. It also has less ending lag.
• Forward Aerial has a different animation, with Dedede doing an overhead swing with his hammer, similar to Kirby's Hammer in the air, but without spinning. It also has more startup and ending lag.
• Back Aerial now has the animation of his old Forward Aerial, losing speed, priority and knockback.
• Up Aerial is faster and has increased knockback in the last hit (to the point it can KO at mid-high percentages near the blast zone) and larger hitboxes that locks opponents more easily.
• Down Aerial is now a single hit, with a considerable startup lag but much lower landing lag. Can also Meteor Smash if hits with the head of the hammer when the opponent is right below Dedede.

Grabs and Throws

• Back Throw deals less damage.
• Up Throw has less ending lag.
• Down Throw has a different animation, with Dedede throwing the opponent on the ground by lifting and slamming. It now causes vertical knockback rather than horizontal with set knockback. Because of that, it is no longer capable of performing his infamous chain grab. On the other hand, its low base knockback can lead to many aerial follow ups.

Special Attacks

• Inhale has slightly increased suction power. It is also slightly harder for swallowed enemies to break free.
• New Side Special Attack, Gordo Toss, replaces his Waddle Dee Toss. As the name suggests, Dedede now only throw Gordos, pulling one and hitting it with his hammer to launch the Gordo at the opponent.
  • Gordos now cause less damage and knockback, and travel slower than in Brawl. They also bounce back softly upon hitting something, rather than continuing their trajectory, and disappearing upon falling on the ground. They bounce higher depending on Dedede's vertical position, meaning they will bounce higher if Dedede is in the air. They now cause horizontal knockback rather than vertical.
    • Additionally, players can control the speed and bouncing height of the Gordo: by holding backwards right before the Gordo is launched, it will bounce slower and higher in front of Dedede; and by holding forward the Gordo will bounce faster and lower.
  • Dedede throws the Gordo much slower than throwing his Waddle Dees. Additionally, Dedede can only launch one at time; should the attack is used again before the Gordo disappears, Dedede will swing his hammer at the air.
  • Unlike in Brawl, opponents can simply hit the Gordo with attacks to bounce it back at Dedede and inflict damage to him; in this case the Gordo travels back faster. Dedede can also re-throw Gordos if he catches up with them and press the attack button.

• Super Dedede Jump is faster when descending, and can now bury grounded opponents and inflicts much higher shield damage. Additionally, the stars it projects when Dedede hits the ground cause higher knockback. Also, it auto-sweetspots the ledge more easily.
• Jet Hammer charges faster, and Dedede is slightly more mobile while using it. It also has more intense visual effects, though only aesthetic. The attack inflicts much higher shield damage. Also, when Dedede's damage reaches 150% and over, he no longer receives recoil damage from overcharging.
• New Final Smash, Dedede Burst, replacing his old one, Waddle Dee Army. It is now a ranged Final Smash rather than full-screen.

Tips for King Dedede Players

• Forward Tilt is his best poking tool. It has formidable range, as well great speed and priority. Players can use to frustrate opponents, preventing advances or punishing mistakes from a safe range.
• Despite boasting one of the most powerful Smash Attacks in the game, his Forward Smash should not be used carelessly, since it is slow and predictable. It is best used as for edge guarding or as a surprise attack. It also inflicts heavy shield damage, being a good pressure attack.
• Down Throw is the staple of Dedede combos. At low percentages it can combo into Neutral Aerial, Forward Aerial and reverse Back Aerial. At higher percentages, it can guarantee kills by combo'ing into Up Aerial.
• Despite being a bit slow, Dedede's jab can be used to combo setups and pseudo-locks; by canceling the second hit with a small pause, the player can input the two initial hits repeatedly. Double jab into grab is also a very viable option.
• Despite having slow air movement, King Dedede is an excellent juggler. His Up Tilt and Up Smashes have high priority, and his Up Aerial is very powerful, being able to KO opponents at high percentages.
• About Inhale:
  • While not a very useful ability, players can use it for a Sacrificial KO, swallowing enemies and proceed to jump out of the platform to take opponents along.
  • Some items, such as Wario's Bike and Wii Fit Trainer's Soccer Ball, can be swallowed and restore his health.
• About Gordo Toss:
  • The higher Dedede is in the air when using this attack, the higher the Gordo will bounce on the ground.
  • Players should always have one on the field, even when dealing against opponents with projectiles. Having an extra obstacle between the player and the opponent can mean a great advantage, with the Gordo being a nuisance for the opponent to deal with.
  • Despite being easy to reflect, Dedede can throw the Gordo back at a faster speed by hitting the Neutral Attack button at the right time.
  • It is a very powerful tool for edge-guarding and to counter edge-guarding. The player can use it by the ledge or make it bounce towards the player.
• About Jet Hammer:
  • While weaker than his Forward Smash (uncharged), Dedede has the advantage of being able to move and jump while charging. This makes this move a powerful asset to be used in the air, being even useful for gimping (although the ending lag is high). It also deals massive shield damage if fully charged.
• About Super Dedede Jump:
  • Players can use this move to edge-guard our counter edge-guard (being specially useful against gimpers).
  • This move will NOT auto-sweetspot the ledge when descending, so care should be taken; canceling the move is crucial to recover during its descend.

Moveset

Ground Attacks

Jab

◾Jab – Swings his hammer twice, then spins it, hitting multiple times and finishes knocking the opponent upwards. 4% first two hits, 1% each hit, 4% on finisher

Tilts

◾Up Tilt – Throws a headbutt above him. 10-12%

◾Down Tilt – Rolls forward once. 10%

◾Forward Tilt – Extends his hammer forward and spins it, hitting many times. 9% when all hits connect

Smash Attacks

◾Up Smash – Swings his hammer above him in an arc. 14-19%

◾Forward Smash – Slams his hammer on the ground, covering a lot of space. There are three "damage points" in this attack: hitting the opponent at the beginning of the swing, when the hammer slams on the ground, or with the ground impact caused by the swing. The ground impact causes 6%. Direct hit: 24-33% Uncharged swing beginning: 15-21%

◾Down Smash – Spins once with his hammer low to the ground. 13-18%

Other Attacks

◾Dash Attack – Trips and falls on the ground, knocking anyone in the way. Very strong launch power, can KO at around 80%. 16% at the beginning, 13% at the tip.

◾Ledge Attack –

◾Get-Up Attack –

Aerial Attacks

◾Up Aerial – Spins his hammer above his head. Multi-hits; 12% when all hits connect.

◾Down Aerial – Charges for a split second, then brings his hammer down. Is a meteor smash. 15% sweet spotted, 8% if not.

◾Neutral Aerial – Stretches his arms and legs, entering a body slam position. 12% sweet spotted, 7% if not

◾Forward Aerial – Swings his hammer forward. 13%

◾Back Aerial – Swings his hammer backwards. 16%

Grabs and Throws

◾Pummel – Headbutts opponent. 3% each hit

◾Forward Throw – Holds opponent in place and hit them with his hammer. 9%

◾Back Throw – Bring opponent to his back then hit them with his hammer. 13%

◾Down Throw – Throws opponent into the ground. 6%

◾Up Throw – Throws the opponent up and his them with both hands. 9%

Special Moves

King Dedede's Special Moves
	Brawl	3DS/Wii U	Ultimate
Standard Special	Inhale
Side Special	Waddle Dee Toss	Gordo Throw
Up Special	Super Dedede Jump
Down Special	Jet Hammer
Final Smash	Waddle Dee Army	Dedede Burst	Dede-Rush

King Dedede's Custom Special Moves
	Custom 1	Custom 2
Standard Special	Dedede Storm	Taste Test
Side Special	Topspin Gordo	Bouncing Gordo
Up Special	Rising Dedede	Quick Dedede Jump
Down Special	Armored Jet Hammer	Dash Jet Hammer

Taunts

Up Taunt: Dedede spins his hammer facing upwards.

Side Taunt: Dedede spins his hammer facing horizontally while laughing.

Down Taunt: Dedede spins and dances in a circle.

In competitive play

To be added

Trophy Description

King Dedede

He calls himself the King of Dream Land, but he doesn't have a lot of interest in ruling. He really loves to eat, so it's no surprise he's a heavyweight fighter. Despite his size and low speed, he can easily recover with his five jumps. His Jet Hammer will leave a mark on everyone he meets.

• Game Boy - Kirby's Dream Land (08/1992)
• 3DS - Kirby: Triple Deluxe (05/2014)

King Dedede (Alt)

For the Gordo Throw side special, King Dedede sends a Gordo bouncing with a hammer strike. It bounces off walls—or sometimes gets stuck in them. After a while it'll disappear. If an enemy hits one, it'll bounce back toward you. Use the special again to whack it back at them!

Other features

To be added

Costume Gallery

Gallery

King Dedede's veteran artwork.

King Dedede's Amiibo figure.

External links

• King Dedede's page on the SSBWU/3DS Website